Transmission Priority Paths in Mesh Networks

1. A method, comprising: determining a trigger for establishing transmission priority on a path through a shared-media communication network for priority traffic to a particular node, wherein the trigger is determined to have occurred when a particular type of data flow has been received at a root node; in response to determining that the trigger has occurred at the root node, generating a path clear message (PCM); transmitting the PCM along the path to the particular node to establish the transmission priority for the priority traffic along the path through the shared-media network; suspending transmission for traffic other than the priority traffic for a specified duration; transmitting the priority traffic to the particular node along the path during the transmission priority; and transmitting a transmission priority clearing message along the path in response to completion of the transmission priority; and resuming transmission for other traffic after the specific duration.

2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the specified duration is carried within the PCM indicating how long transmission priority should be established.

3. The method as in claim 2 , wherein the specified duration is configured within the shared-media network in advance of any PCMs.

4. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the local non-repeated distributed message is one of either a broadcast message or a multicast message, and wherein the local non-repeated distributed message has a time-to-live (TTL) value of “1”.

5. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising: specifying particular receiving nodes to transmit the local non-repeated distributed message, wherein other receiving nodes not specified along the path that receives the PCM are configured to not transmit the local non-repeated distributed message.

6. The method as in claim 5 , wherein the specifying comprises including an indication of the particular receiving nodes within the PCM.

7. The method as in claim 1 , wherein; the PCM is sent to each node along the path to instruct each node along the path to suspend the transmission for traffic other than the priority traffic for the specified duration, and also to transmit a local non-repeated distributed message to one or more neighbor nodes of each respective node along the path, the local non-repeated distributed message to instruct the neighbor nodes to suspend transmission for the specified duration; and the transmission priority clearing message instructs each node along the path to resume the transmission for the other traffic and also to transmit a second local non-repeated distributed message to the neighbor nodes of each respective node along the path, the second local non-repeated distributed message to instruct the neighbor nodes to resume transmission.

8. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the each node along the path and the neighbor nodes of each respective node along the path are configured to resume transmission in response to expiration of a configured timer.

9. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the suspending transmission as instructed by the PCM comprises reducing a rate at which traffic other than the priority traffic is transmitted.

10. An apparatus, comprising: one or more network interfaces to communicate in a shared-media computer network; a processor coupled to the network interfaces and configured to execute one or more processes; and a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to: determine a trigger for establishing transmission priority on a path through a shared-media communication network for priority traffic to a particular node, wherein the trigger is determined to have occurred when a particular type of data flow has been received at a root node; in response to determining that the trigger has occurred at the root node, generate a path clear message (PCM); transmit the PCM along the path to the particular node to establish the transmission priority for the priority traffic along the path through the shared-media network; suspend transmission for traffic other than the priority traffic for a specified duration; transmit the priority traffic to the particular node along the path during the transmission priority; transmit a transmission priority clearing message along the path in response to completion of the transmission priority; and resume transmission for other traffic after a specific duration.

11. The apparatus as in claim 10 , wherein the process when executed is further operable to: specify particular receiving nodes to transmit the local non-repeated distributed message, wherein other receiving nodes not specified along the path that receive the PCM are configured to not transmit the local non-repeated distributed message.

12. The apparatus as in claim 10 , wherein: the PCM is sent to each node along the path to instruct each node along the path to suspend transmission for traffic other than the priority traffic for a specified duration, and also to transmit a local non-repeated distributed message to one or more neighbor nodes of each respective node along the path, the local non-repeated distributed message instructing the neighbor nodes to suspend the transmission for the specified duration, and the transmission priority clearing message instructing each node along the path to resume the transmission for the other traffic and also to transmit a second local non-repeated distributed message to the neighbor nodes of each respective node along the path, the second local non-repeated distributed message to instruct the neighbor nodes to resume transmission.

13. The apparatus as in claim 10 , wherein each node along the path and the neighbor nodes of each respective node along the path are configured to resume transmission in response to expiration of a configured timer.

14. A method, comprising: receiving, from a root node in response to a particular type of data flow being received at the root node, a path clear message (PCM) at a receiving node along a path to a particular node in a shared-media communication network, the particular type of data flow identified as priority traffic, in response to receiving the PCM, suspending transmission for all traffic other than the priority traffic for a specified duration; transmitting a local non-repeated distributed message to one or more neighbor nodes of the receiving node; receiving the priority traffic to the particular node during the transmission priority; transmitting the priority traffic toward the particular node along the path during the transmission priority; receiving a transmission priority clearing message along the path in response to completion of the transmission priority; and in response to receiving the transmission priority clearing message from the root node, resuming transmission for traffic other than the priority traffic after suspension for the specific duration, and transmitting a second local non-repeated distributed message to one or more neighbor nodes of the receiving node.

15. The method as in claim 14 , further comprising: determining whether the specified duration is specified within the PCM; and if not specified in the PCM, using a duration configured within the shared-media network in advance of any PCMs.

16. The method as in claim 14 , wherein the local non-repeated distributed message is one of either a broadcast message or a multicast message, and wherein the local non-repeated distributed message has a time-to-live (TTL) value of “1”.

17. The method as in claim 14 , further comprising: determining whether the receiving node is specified as a particular receiving node to transmit the local non-repeated distributed message, wherein other receiving nodes not specified along the path that receive the PCM are configured to not transmit the local non-repeated distributed message.

18. The method as in claim 14 , wherein the local non-repeated distributed message instructs the neighbor nodes to suspend the transmission of the other traffic for the specified duration, the transmission priority clearing message instructs the receiving node to resume the transmission for the other traffic and also to transmit a second local non-repeated distributed message to the neighbor nodes of each respective receiving node, the second local non-repeated distributed message to instruct the neighbor nodes to resume transmission, and the second local non-repeated distributed message to instruct the neighbor nodes to resume the transmission.

19. The method as in claim 14 , wherein the receiving node and the neighbor nodes of each respective receiving node are configured to resume the transmission in response to expiration of a configured timer.

20. The method as in claim 14 , further comprising: prioritizing between a plurality of PCMs.

21. The method as in claim 14 , further comprising: buffering non-priority traffic for transmission after the transmission priority.

22. The method as in claim 14 , wherein the suspending transmission as instructed by the PCM comprises reducing a rate at which traffic other than the priority traffic is transmitted.

23. An apparatus, comprising: one or more network interfaces to communicate in a shared-media computer network; a processor coupled to the network interfaces and configured to execute one or more processes; and a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to: receive, from a root node in response to a particular type of data flow being received at the root node, a path clear message (PCM) at a receiving node along a path to a particular node in a shared-media communication network, the particular type of data flow identified as priority traffic, in response to receiving the PCM, suspend transmission for all traffic other than the priority traffic for a specified duration; transmit a local non-repeated distributed message to one or more neighbor nodes of the receiving node; transmit received priority traffic toward the particular node along the path during the transmission priority; and in response to receiving a transmission priority clearing message from the root node, resume transmission for traffic other than the priority traffic after suspension for the specific duration, and transmit a second local non-repeated distributed message to one or more neighbor nodes of the receiving node.